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Patented May 16, I899. J. E. DOOLITTLE.

NAVAL GAME BOARD.

(Application filed Aug. 17, 1898.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. DOOLITTLE, .OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TO GEORGE E. HAWES, OF SAME PLACE.

NAVAL GAM E-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 625,248, dated May 16, 1899.

Application filed August 17, 1898. Serial No. 688,767. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES E. DOOLIITLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new an d useful Improvements in Naval Game- Boards, of which the following is a specification. I

My invention relates to an improved gameboard; and it consists in certain details of construction to be more fully set forth in the following specification.

To enable others to understand my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in Wl1lCl1- Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved game-board with the movable figures properly arranged to play the game. Fig. 2 is a detail side elevation of one of the movable figures and broken sectional view of the board. Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation of one of the immovable figures and broken sectional view of the board. Fig. 4 is a modified construction of the game-board.

Its construction and operation are as follows:

The surface of the board A is laid off in alternate white and black squares like an ordinary checker or chess board and represents a bay or other large body of water. 13 and 0 represent harbors connected to the former by means of the narrow channels D E.

The movable characters a b c d efg h k m n 0 p q r s 6 represent gunboats or other naval vessels,while the squares on which they move are numbered from 1 to 36, inclusive.

Within the harbors B and C are the forts F G H I J K M N, having the holes cttherein to receive flagstaffs, one of which staffs b, carrying the flag 0, is shown at Fig. 3, it being understood that in playing the game,or rather at its commencement, each one of the forts F, G, H, I, J, K, M, and N will have a flag mounted therein.

Each of the vessels will be furnished with a turret d'for convenience in handling and each turret will have the hole 6 to receive one of the fiagsfrom the forts which one player strives to capture from the other.

C P Q B represent four mines near the entrance of each of the harbors B and C, whose object will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The boats, which represent men on an ordinary checker-board, are first placed as shown at Fig. l. The objective point of the player is to pass through the narrow channels D and E into the harbors B and C and if successful in reachinga square in said harbors is entitled to take the flag from the fort adjacent to said square and transfer the same to his vessel, (see Fig. 2,) which vessel is then designated as a flag-ship, and it is then at liberty to move in any direction, like a crowned man in a square of checkers, while the vessels that arenot flag-ships can move only in one direction. When avessel is forced to occupy either of the squares 7, 10, 27, or 30 opposite the mines O P Q R, they are virtually destroyed, owing to the fact that being able to move (un-- less a flagship) only in one direction they are thus put out of the game.

If desired, the two additional harbors B and C can be located on the remaining sides of the boards A, as shown at Fig. 4.

.It will be understood that while I show a turret projecting from the upper surface or deck of the vessel to provide handy means to manipulate said vessel and also to receive a dag this can be dispensed with and a hole provided for the fiagstaif in the vessel itself. Also'other shaped characters can be used, if desired, in playing the game.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. In a naval game-board of the character described,the combination with alarge check ered field representing an open bay of two or more smaller checkered fields representing harbors oppositely placed with respect to such large fields and separated therefrom bya narrow channel sulficient for the passage of only one at a time of the characters used in play ing the game, and which smaller checkered fields are out of line with each other, and placed entirely outside of the main checkered field, forts or other like stationary receptacles in said harbors for holding flags or other removable trophies of like character, for the purpose set forth.

2. In a game-board of the character (Ic scribed, the combination, With a large checkered field representing an open bay, of tWo or more smaller checkered fields out of line with each other, and placed entirely outside of the main checkered field representing harbors oppositely placed with respect to the said large fields and separated therefrom by a single square representing a narrow channel sufficient for the passage of only one at a time of the boats, or other like characters used in playing the game, forts or other like stationary points in said harbors for holding flags or other removable trophies, means on said movable characters or boats for receiving said trophies, mines substantially as shown, located on the borders of the main field or bay, all substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 11th day of August, A'. D. 1898.

JAMES E. DOOLITTLE.

Witnesses:

DAVID M. LACKIE, XVILLIAM R. PALMER. 

